Z3802

Art of the American Indian

Tlingit Sculptures

Cover Announcement 

It has always been my goal to produce high quality, individually hand painted cachets that collectors would enjoy owning. Every once in awhile, the resulting covers far surpass my own expectations, and I'm pleased to report that's the case with this set. The superb designs and the lovely watercolors combine to make this one of the finest sets I've ever offered.

As the illustrations show, my "entire" cachet designs take up the whole envelope and go far beyond just the Indian art aspects of the various tribes. The turtle was a traditional symbol for the northeastern clans. In my cachet, a warrior carries a shield with this sign. The stamp shows a carved ladle handle crafted in the mid-1800s, so I decided to also show a carved ladle in the cachet. The wild turkey and white-tailed deer were two important food sources and represent the link to nature and the land. Birch bark canoes provided transport over the many lakes and rivers in the region, and the longhouse was the typical type of lodging in most villages. The individual hand painting brings the scene to life.

Wood sculptures were a fundamental art form of the tribes of the Northwest. In 1805, the Lewis and Clark expedition was greeted by Indians in large canoes which had intricate animal totem carvings in the bows. The two beautiful sculptures on the stamp (a striking red against a rich blue background) were carved around 1890. The very colorful and eyecatching wooden ceremonial masks that make up the main focal points of my cachet illustration are absolutely perfect subjects for hand painting in vivid watercolors. The whale played an important part in the culture of the Northwest tribes, and two orcas swim through the ocean depths. This Collins First Day Cover will be a standout in your collection.

When most people think of the American Indian, scenes of the tribes of the plains are what they envision such as: ornate teepees in their familiar conical shapes; mounted braves racing across the prairie; decorative peace pipes and battle shields adorned with eagle feathers; and, great herds of buffalo roaming across the seemingly endless plains. I must tell you that this hand painted First Day Cover is one of the finest you'Il ever encounter. An intent warrior strings an arrow to his bow as his sturdy pony carries him to the hunt or battle. The authentic teepee is historically correct in its detail and is complemented by the handsome parfleche (storage container constructed from painted rawhide) shown on the new stamp. A ceremonial buffalo skull is positioned over a shield on which a bison has been painted by its owner. Finally, across the top of the cachet is a pipe which was the most important and sacred object to the Plains Indian. The most pnzed pipes were those with bowls made from a red stone called catlinite. Often the elaborate pipes were 4 or 5 feet long and were decorated with fur, horsehair wrappings, feathers, and quills. Through these distinctive red pipes blew the fumes of war and peace.

In addition to the three covers above, seven more spectacular Indian cachets will complete this set. A Seminole couple is shown in their authentic and extremely colorful native dress. The vivid clothing on the stamp's patchwork doll complements the beautiful Seminole clothing. Other tribes to be included are the Navajo, Pueblo, Mimbres People (circa A.D. 1000) as well as those from the Great Lakes and Califomia regions.

Art of the American Indian - Collins #s Z3801 - Z3810

Winter 2023 Mail Sale 

Lot 21 Z3801 to Z3810 — Art of the American Indian — (set often) — 8/21/04

This is a dynamite set that encompasses tribes throughout the United States and the individually hand painted cachets bring depictions of the various Native American tribes. This is the first time this set has appeared in my mail sales. Every Collins collector should consider this set of ten because of their historic nature, their superb artistic execution, and their cachet content. They are the perfect examples of Collins quality and appeal and will always be treasures of our hobby. The Plains Tribes (Z3801) shows a warrior, with drawn bow, astride his pony, an eagle-feather-adorned shield, a buffalo skull paying homage to the animal that they so depended on, a ceremonial pipe, and a teepee. The Northwest Tribes (Z3802) shows a colorful mask, a ceremonial dancer, totem symbols, and a pair of orca whales representing the coastal area.

The Great Lakes Tribes (Z3803) are represented by a chief with full headdress holding a lance and a pair of decorative moccasins with amazing artistic expression. The ancient Mimbre Tribe of the Southwest (Z3804) existed in a primitive desert setting represented by a bighorn, a barrel cactus, and a chameleon. Also shown are three plates with magnificent designs. From Florida are the Seminole Tribe (Z3805), wearing the colorful clothing they made. The early Mississippi Tribes (Z3806) shows both live and art forms of an otter and raven as a warrior crouches with a short hand spear. The Acoma Pueblo Tribe (Z3807) of New Mexico shows an ornate pottery bowl for which they are famous. A young girl shapes a piece in front of the distinctive dwellings with doors and windows. A Navajo mother (Z3808) weaves a blanket on a primitive loom as her baby sleeps nearby. The Northeast Tribes cachet (Z3809) is a personal favorite as I was fascinated growing up in their area. Bark canoes were a mainstay of travel. Game such as deer and wild turkeys were plentiful. Wood and bark "long houses" provided shelter from harsh winters. I treasure multiple arrowheads found at Collins Ponds and the leather-stocking tales from James Fenimore Cooper such as The Last of the Mohicans. The California Tribes (Z3810) are represented by the art of

basketmaking as well as a quail and acorn sprig to remind us of the role natured played in their culture and d' aily life. Please view again all of the cachets in this awesome set and realize that every bit of color on each and every cachet is painted by hand